Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions Regarding COVID-19

We understand that many students and families will have questions related to COVID-19
and the impact it may have on your financial aid. We are open and ready to serve our
current and prospective students and their families. In order to assist you effectively
and efficiently, you may contact our advsiors via e-mail at finaid@stonybrook.edu
from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Additionally, you may speak with an
advisor by calling us at 631-632-6840 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Monday through Friday.

Please note that at this time our mail service has been temporarily suspended. For
secure and faster processing, students who have outstanding To Do List items are encouraged
to utilize the SOLAR Upload feature, when available. If you are unable to upload
the document, please securely fax the document to us at 631-632-9525.

Courses with Pass grades will count toward your total hours for the Cumulative Completion
Rate for federal financial aid. However, Pass grades will not count in your GPA calculation.
If you had a requirement to improve your GPA for the Spring 2020 semester, you may
want to consider how many Pass grades you take in order to maintain your eligibility.
Courses that earn NC grades will count as attempted but not completed, and could impact
your eligibility for federal aid. If you are on financial aid warning or probation
and need to improve your GPA, we encourage you reach out to the financial aid office
with questions specific to your situation. For more information, review our
Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines.

Am I able to receive my remaining Federal Work Study Funds for the Spring 2020 semester?

Please contact your direct supervisor to inquire about working remotely.

Is there any relief if I have borrowed a federal student loan?

A bill has been passed suspending payments and interest accrual on Federal Direct
Loans and Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) held by the Department of Education
have been until September 30, 2020. The bill also counts each month of suspended loan
payments as if the borrower had made a payment for the purpose of income-driven repayment
plan loan forgiveness or Public Service Loan Forgiveness, as well as for loan rehabilitation
purposes. Suspended payments are to be reported to consumer credit reporting agencies
as regularly scheduled payments made by the borrower.

Is there any relief if I have a Federal Perkins Loan from SUNY?

Economic Hardship Deferment or Unemployment Deferment options may be available for
you. Please contact the Student Loan Servicing Center for additional information:
https://slsc.albany.edu/.

How can I submit my Statement of Educational Purpose?

The Department of Education has suspended the in-person submission or notarized document
requirement. While the documents will still be required, they may instead be submitted
in person or electronically, via email, through uploading photos, or through the school’s
portal. Please review your SOLAR account for instructions.

I believe I have special circumstances. How can I submit a request for re-evaluation?

The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarship Services will begin reviewing all requests
for re-evaluations for the 2020-2021 academic year, including any requests related
to COVID-19, beginning July 1, 2020 .

The reason for the timing is we use the estimated income from July 1, 2020 to June
30, 2021 (the academic year). If you
would like to be considered for a re-evaluation, please contact your corresponding
financial aid office
.

As per federal regulations, when a student officially or unofficially withdraws from
all classes in a semester, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services will
first confirm that the student began attendance in all classes for which Federal Financial
Aid Awards were processed. Please review the following
linkfor information.

Who should I speak to if I have questions regarding my credit/refund for the Spring
2020 semester?

These questions should be addressed by the Bursar/Student Accounts Office. Please
visit the following
linkfor additional information.

What is the CARES Act? Am I eligible to receive funds?

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress
and signed into law to provide economic relief from COVID-19. One section of the CARES
Act established the Higher Education Emergency Relief fund and sent money to schools
to use for emergency financial aid grants to students for expenses related to the
disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic. These grants are not meant to
offset loss of income, student or family job loss, or pay for other family expenses.
The goal of these funds is to provide financial assistance to a wide range of students
in a timely manner in order for them to maintain access to education.